Josh Ortiz of XR Brands, via his “Dear DadBodDom” SE column, answers retailers’ most pressing questions.
Dear DadBodDom by Josh Ortiz
Q
: Dear Dad Bod Dom, I’m noticing more silicone toys labeling that they are silicone lube compatible on their boxes. This goes against everything I’ve been taught, so what changed? I understand that there are different ways to cure silicone, but what makes it compatible with silicone toys? – Confused Beyond Repair (Location Anonymous)
A: Hi, Confused! There are a few factors for the compatibility of silicone lube with silicone toys, but we should start at where we both began: way back at the dawn of dildo time, when water-based, big-box pharmacy lubricants reigned supreme.
Why was silicone lubricant considered an unsafe option for silicone toys? The scientific theory behind that is a decently simple one: ‘like’ dissolves ‘like’. With that being said, lesser quality silicone toys will degrade over time with silicone lubricant. Water-based is always the safest go-to, and a good hybrid is okay for silicone toys of all levels of quality.
So what changed and how can we know what to tell our customers? The primary change is the availability and abundance of “platinum-cured” or “medical-grade” silicone. If a silicone product is medical-grade or platinum-cured, you most definitely can use a silicone lubricant.
Ok, but how do we know if a toy is platinum-cured or medical-grade silicone? Trust when I say, as a manufacturer, we have a bone for telling you it’s medical-grade or platinum-cured. You literally cannot get us to shut up about it.
Check your packaging, and confirm with your sales reps and manufacturers if you are unsure if a toy is silicone-lube-compatible. I also recommend trying it for yourself. Ask your distribution partners for testers for those medical-grade and platinum-cured silicone toys, and conduct slippery experiments for yourself! Keep some paper towels nearby.
Q: Dear Dad Bod Dom, I am seeing a lot of new insertable electro-stim toys, but they don’t include much safety info. Are there any important safety tips I should be sharing with our customers when they are purchasing electro-stim toys designed for vaginal or anal insertion? – Titillating in Toronto
A: Hey Titillating! There are most definitely some safety tips for inserting electricity into our orifices, and I believe this info to be imperative to our retail partners and customer base alike.
The first tip is for vulva owners, and it’s regarding copper IUDs. Let’s start with the fundamental basics surrounding copper and its use in contraceptives. Copper is wildly spermicidal, making a copper IUD an effective and 100% non-hormonal form of contraceptive. Copper IUDs would be common in the LGBTQ+ communities, gender fluid or non-binary vulva owners, trans-masc folks whom still have internal reproductive organs and for any vulva owner whom simply doesn’t want any additional estrogen into their bodies.
Copper also happens to be crazy conductive. By inserting something electro-stim into the vagina, with the presence of a copper IUD, you will guarantee that the kit-kat turns into a popcorn popper, stat. So — copper IUD? Stick with electro-stim outside the body, on limbs and extremities.
The other tip is for folks who have a device implanted in their bodies that operates on an electro-magnetic frequency, like a pace-maker, or internalized insulin or pain pump. A pace-maker shoots out a charge, and collects it back, and that loop is a beat. The last thing we want to do is to interrupt the looping process, thereby effing up your heart. If it’s electric, has a battery and is implanted in your body? Avoid electro-stimulation inside, and stick with shocking your extremities and limbs.
There are so many fun areas of the body that can be electrified, so even if we do need to eliminate the internal electro-stim, there remains a whole gaggle of external fun points. At the end of the day, we all want to find fun and safe ways to play, and being empowered with the knowledge to implement safety practices during play time means we can let go and ride the lightning — responsibly, of course.
If you have a question you’d like to see featured in Dear DadBodDom, please send them via email to TheDadBodDom@gmail.com and you may see yours answered next!
Josh Ortiz is a Sex Educator & Brand Ambassador in the pleasure product industry.
